Is Soundtrack Support Ever Going To Be Used??

[Skarp]

I know this post has probably been up before, I can even recall myself posting this about 3 months ago, but I feel like nothing has changed and people haven't cared so Im going to ask it again, why aren't companies taking advantage of the soundtrack support. If you could play whatever music you wanted during a game it could even make an average game seem good. One of the main reasons I bought the Xbox was for soundtrack support and I have been disappointed in how many games have supported it. Do you think that is because most of the games so far are PS2 ports or did game companies just forget about this option all together?

[l Maximus l]

Well, that could be one reason...but, keep in mind that many of the games that are out right now started their development before the final specs were finished on the XBox. I would expect more and more games to have a music manager in them as time moves forward.

Also, there are some games that won't support it because the developers don't wish for it to be on there. I mean, hearing the song "Oops, I did it again", by Britney Spears wouldn't be exactly tasteful while playing Halo hehe

[JJaX]

games try to create mood and atmosphere. For example Playing a RPG to your own music would kinda suck. Custom sound tracks work for racing games, Fighting games etc...

Not games that try to tell a story or make you feel as your a part of it. YA STAND ME!?

[Muabdi'b]

Thats not the point. Let the gamer be the judge what music that he/she wants to listen to. Who cares about mood, maybe some people think nsync would be perfect. Developers just don't like to bother. If it means more programming and time, forget it. It will be rare to see this implemented.

[JJaX]

Originally posted by Muabdi'b
Thats not the point. Let the gamer be the judge what music that he/she wants to listen to. Who cares about mood, I think nsync would be perfect. Developers just don't like to bother. If it means more programming and time, forget it. It will be rare to see this implemented.

If thats your cup of tea!! *snicker*

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Muabdi'b
Thats not the point. Let the gamer be the judge what music that he/she wants to listen to. Who cares about mood, maybe some people think nsync would be perfect. Developers just don't like to bother. If it means more programming and time, forget it. It will be rare to see this implemented.

Dude...N'Sync would hardly set a great atmosphere on a game like Project Ego. No offense, dude...but, let's be reasonable. JJaX hits it right on the nail...Music provides atmosphere....this is a psychological fact.

Think of it this way: If you were playing Silent Hill 2 and you had the song "This Is The Song That Never Ends" by Barney...do you think you would be scared? I would hope not

[Toder]

Originally posted by JJaX
games try to create mood and atmosphere. For example Playing a RPG to your own music would kinda suck. Custom sound tracks work for racing games, Fighting games etc...

Not games that try to tell a story or make you feel as your a part of it. YA STAND ME!?

I have to agree with ya JJaX. Just like most of the movies you watch, video games try to set a mood while playing them. But for games that have multiplayer in them (like Halo) there should of been an option to listen to your own music while your are playing in multiplayer mode.

[Muabdi'b]

None of you seem to get the picture. YOU have the choice. With current games, they don't offer that choice. Its a mAtter of CHOICE. Let the gamer decide. If that option is available, great, I can choose. You don't have to use it but there are people that can have a lot of fun doing it. It sure would be interesting.

Maximus, I picked nsync as an extreme example.lmao. you actually believed me. If I want mood I will decide. Right now there is no decision.

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Muabdi'b
Maximus, I picked nsync as an extreme example.lmao. you actually believed me. If I want mood I will decide. Right now there is no decision.

BWAHAHAHA!! yeah, right, dude!! You know you love N-Sync! BWAHAHAHAA!!!

But, honestly, dude...you can't be serious... Developers have in mind something very specific when they launch a game. A game like Silent Hill 2 wouldn't go well with anything other than mysterious or gloomy music. That's the kind of game it is! I don't know, but, to me, it's common sense.

I understand what you mean about "Choice"...And, this is a situation where "choice" isn't a good thing. I respect your opinion, as I'm sure you respect mine, however, I feel that I can safely say that you are definately in the minority, not only being male and a HUGE fan of N-Sync , but, listening to music that can potentially detract from certain games.

Though, I must admit, many people on here thought it might be cool to listen to their personal CD collection while playing Halo. Personally, I like the soundtrack and wouldn't change it. But, I can see it being something I wouldn't mind trying for multi-player just as Toder stated

[Batman2372]

Technically, it's never really been your choice. Just because the Xbox has the ability, doesn't mean the developer has the OBLIGATION to use it. The development team decides whether the option for the user to choose his own music will be more beneficial to the overall game experience.

The only choice you technically have is whether to rent/buy/play the game. Does that suck? In some cases, yeah, but that's the way the system works, and there's really no way that will change.

[Master Gracey]

Think of it this way: If you were playing Silent Hill 2 and you had the song "This Is The Song That Never Ends" by Barney...do you think you would be scared? I would hope not

If that had been playing during Silent Hill 2, it would've been the scariest thing about that game!!

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Master Gracey


If that had been playing during Silent Hill 2, it would've been the scariest thing about that game!!

hehehe...Now, that's a great point!!!

[LynxFX]

None of you seem to get the picture. YOU have the choice. With current games, they don't offer that choice. Its a mAtter of CHOICE. Let the gamer decide.

No I think it was the choice of the developers in the first place. Most anyway, some are just lazy.

Take Halo. You say you should have a choice on what to listen to while playing. You say who cares about mood. Well to some people, especially the folks over at Bungie that designed Halo, the game is art. They don't want you messing with their intentions. If you listen to the soundtrack of Halo you would know that is exactly their intention. Every track that is played throughout Halo has a point and fits perfectly with the action that is happening on the screen. That is their art.

It would have been nice for multiplayer though but we all have stereos I assume so crank that.

Games that do support it like Amped are perfect for custom soundtracks. Rallisport as well. I think most sports games and fighting games should have this option. Epic games like Halo don't need it.

Now if you want to start saying that developers are lazy then lets start with the major stuff. Give every game 5.1 sound. Give every game 16x9 support. Give every game (that can handle it) 1080i and 720p support.

Just my opinion.

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Lynxfx
Now if you want to start saying that developers are lazy then lets start with the major stuff. Give every game 5.1 sound. Give every game 16x9 support. Give every game (that can handle it) 1080i and 720p support.

Just my opinion.

How is it that you are able to make my mouth foam like a dog with rabbies?

[Skarp]

I agree that many games would actually be worse off with soundtrack support, but many games would be better off including it in multiplayer modes when there is no story line. Like NBA 2k2, DOA3, NFL Fever, etc....

[LynxFX]

How is it that you are able to make my mouth foam like a dog with rabbies?

I know what you crave.

[NomadLLama]

here's the thing. i think that music really goes well with a game. if in a game, lets say RPG, someone dies. u are not going to have upbeat music but yet some sad, dramatic music to go and u will most likely get the effect. but i think for some games, customized soundtracks will be hard to do. lets say again an RPG. how r u going to get custom music. say, play music when this happens and play this when that happens. i think that it goes well with fighting, racing, and sometimes action games.

[GokuX]

I think so far it's been appropriately used. I'm almost sure it will become a standard feature for all Xbox racing games. As far as FPS are concearned, it is definitely not practical for the single player aspect like so many of our fellow XBA pals have said. However, it could be implemented into Multiplayer mode successfully I think. But as you guys already said it takes some extra effort on the part of the programmer. If ya want to use it get PGR, Amped, or Rallisport.

[Spike Minoda]

You can play your soundtracks on games that are approved of it, or if you have none, you can just listen to your music

[Hugh_Jass]

The XBOX is packed with features. No game uses them all. Custom soundtracks, system link, multiplayer -- these features are options AVAILABLE to the game designer if he/she CHOOSES to use them.

The XBOX has gone a long way to remove the technical barriers to game development. If the nature of the game is not condusive to custom soundtrack support I have no problem with the game designer choosing not to use that feature.

It's an artistic choice.